No Veteran Cold Shoulder For Rookies

Apparently, Gerald McCoy has a like-minded teammate who brawls in the trenches on the offensive side of the ball.

Last year Joe remembers GMC telling him (Joe doesn’t have the notes in front of him; so this is paraphrasing) that there are more than a few NFL veterans who believe rookies should learn the hard way about the rigors of the league.

GMC told Joe, in so many words, “I don’t think like that. If a guy is on my team, he is here to help me win and I will do whatever I can to help him play better.”

Bucs center Evan Dietrich-Smith is of the same mindset. Joe had asked EDS yesterday what he thought of rookie guard Kadeem Edwards who, in Carl Nicks’ void, has been logging a lot of time with the first time at left guard.

EDS noted that veteran players who don’t help out the rookies are, well, wrong-headed.

“Kadeem is doing a real good job,” EDS said. “He does some nice things technique-wise. I am excited to see what happens when guys get the pads on. We have some guys they don’t know how to turn it off with the pads off. Lovie has been after us a couple of times about that stuff. Pads will make a big difference and I am kind of sure that we can see how it will shake out once that goes down and it is right around the corner.

“I am excited about that. The rookies are doing a real good job. “Hop” [Offensive line coach George Warhop] is pushing us real hard as far as us getting our technique down and doing the things he wants. I think we are headed in the right direction as far as the offensive line goes.

“I think a lot of [learning the NFL from a small school] has to do with the guys you are playing next to. I know I came from a small school [Idaho State], too, and it took me a little bit to figure it out. If you have veterans guys who are going to help you out and point you in the right direction, that will definitely work in your favor. But if you are a small school guy playing with a lot of young guys, it will take a little longer. I am not going to steer these guys the wrong way at any point in time. I know that the five guys with me, I will make sure we are pointed in the right way and not let our quarterback get hit in the back of the head.”

As an aside, Edwards is from Tennessee State.

Joe digs this mentality. Unless someone is so friggin’ paranoid and selfish, thinking a rookie will take his job, how could veterans not want to help the rookies get better? Veterans who stick their noses in the air when rookies drop by and have no interest in helping the rookies apparently have burned out on football, or at least winning football.

As Lovie Smith noted yesterday, you don’t have to be a screamer or a yeller to be a leader. Guys like GMC and EDS are proving that daily.

How, as a BUCS fan, can you not be excited about the future of the BUCS? It “appears” that everyone from L&L to the coaching staff on down to the players seem to be on the same page. Hope we can jell early enough to keep us in the hunt, but still believe that the future is very, very, bright

StPeteBucsFan, I agree Freeman provided zero leadership last year. I think he did more damage than good and I certainly understand releasing him and starting Glennon.

That said, I also believe something changed in Freeman to make him self-destruct. Maybe he had a falling out with Schiano during his last few games the year before or something, maybe it was medical, or maybe it was addiction-related. I have no clue.

But before that, Freeman was doing a pretty good job leading the team. But, again, that changed.

I do disagree with your grade of Glennon. Because he was a rookie, he offered almost no leadership. He had a new car feel, but he really did not know what he was doing. Notice he did not call any player only camps together before free agency? He could have, and it would have impressed the heck out of the coaches.

Even if they couldn’t practice playbooks, there are some plays that are always a part of the playbooks.

Take all of your points and largely agree with them. Yes the Jfro mystery will take some more time to unfold. Perhaps it was physical/mental. We don’t know what he suffers from because of our nation’s privacy laws…HIPPA..when it comes to medical records.

I also take your point about Glennon not organizing the off field workouts like McCown and Jfro. But slightly disagree about his performance in the season.

I recall reading numerous accounts from vets who were impressed with his poise and leadership. BTW I’m not a member of the MGM but I’m not one of his haters either. For me the jury is still out. Not enough evidence.